Brassiere



Dec. 1l, 195 p C|R|NG|ONE 2,577,842

BRASSIERE:

Filed April 1, 195o wz/ewai Pe er w21/@wwe MW VVM digg/ Patented Dec.11,1951

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRASSIRE Peter Ciringione, Stoneham, Mass.

Application April 1, 195D, Serial No. 153,422

4 Claims. (Cl. 2-42) This invention relates to brassires and moreespecially to a construction suitable for the more mature figure.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a brassireconstruction in which the elevation of the breasts may be effected alongsubstantially vertically spaced parallel lines passing throughthe.nipples so as to afford a direct lift without lateral displacementand at the same time to distribute the lifting forces over substantialsurface areas of the breasts so as to avoid local constriction and henceunnatural molding of the breasts or any portions thereof. Furtherobjects are to provide a construction in which the elevating forces whenapplied will not tend to displace the brassire vertically on the body ofthe wearer, which will be extremely simple in its construction and whichwill support and mold the breasts of the wearer to best advantage fromthe standpoints of comfort, health and good taste.

`Each pocket consists of inner and outer parts, the inner parts beingdesigned to receive and con- `.tain the entire hemispheroidal portionsof the breasts, that is to have surface contact with the bottom, top andsides thereof and the outer parts being arranged to overlie in part theexterior surface of the inner pocket and to be attached to the body bandsubstantially vertically below the nipples and to the forward ends ofshoulder straps substantially vertically above the nipples so thatmanipulation of the straps by lengthening or shortening effects avertical disposition of the inner pockets along parallel lines extendingvertically through the nipples withoutI imparting lateral displacement.To effect vertical adjustment without local constriction along thelinesl v of applied lift, the outer pockets are substantiallycoextensive in area with the inner pockets widthwise and are attached attheir lateral edges to the body band and to each other but havevtapering lower and upper edges terminating in narrow apex portionswhich afford substantially point connection with the body band and theshoulder straps. The upper tapering edge of each louter pocket extendsbeyond the upper edge of "the inner pocket and the vtwo edges areconnected at their narrow apex portions by an elasticized element sothat a direct pull applied to the upper apex portion of the outer pocketis indirectly transmitted to the upper apex edge of the inner pocket.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an isometric front View of the brassire distended as whenworn;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the inside front portion of the brassire;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary portion of the front showing the junctionbetween the frontal and side portions of the body band and theconnection of the inner pocket thereto;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary portion of the front showing the junctionbetween the frontal and side portions of the body band and theconnection of the inner pocket therewith;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the fasteners for securing the body band at theback; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic front view showing the direction of elevatingpull exerted by adjustment of the shoulder straps with respect to thenipples.

Referring to the drawings the body-encircling support comprises aninelastic frontal portion I0 designed to underlie the breasts and toextend from the sternum laterally in opposite directions followingapproximately the curvature of the seventh ribs to the outer sides ofthe breasts, terminating substantially at the axilla. The frontalportion is held firmly in position by laterally and rearwardly extendingside-embracing portions I2-l2 the extremities of which are joined at theLback of the wearer by an elasticized element I4 stitched at one end tothe extremity of one of the side portions I2 and has at its free end(Fig. 5) two sets of eyes I6 with which may alternately be engaged hooksIB fastened to the extremity of the other side portion l2, dependingupon the girth of the wearer. The frontal portion l0 has lavlower edge25J which is slightly concave so as smoothly to follow the convexity ofthe body just below the breasts and a broken upper edge 22-22 slopingfrom a high point at the mid-point thereof `which overlies the sternuinarea in opposite directions toward the side portions or axilla areassubstantially below the armpits. The edges 22-,22 are slightly concave.The side portions l2 are wider than the frontal portion I0extendingupwardly from the lower edge of the frontal band toapproximately the level of the nipples alongthe outer sides of thebreasts andl provide rising, laterally spaced edges l3-l3 to which' thebreast-receiving pockets are attached, as will appear hereinafter. Fromtheir forward end edges |3-I3 the side portions I2 taper gradually, totheir extremities, chiefly by inclination of their upper edges withrespect to continuing, substantially straight lower edges.

Preferably the frontal portion I is two-ply, having an inner facing ofcotton and an outer facing of satin, the two being coextensive andstitched together throughout with suitable finished edges. The sideportions I2 are made of single-ply satin, have suitably finished edgesand may be edged with lace if desired. While satin is stipulated as thematerial used herein it is evident that any other textile fabric whichwill afford the desired strength characteristics, comfort to the wearerand eye appeal may be substituted therefor.

The breast-receiving pockets consist of symmetrically spaced, nestinginner and outer members 24-24 and 2li-26. Each inner pocket is designedto receive and cover the entire hemispheroidal portion of the breast,that is, to have contact with the entire convex surface thereof and tothis end has a lower edge 28 coextensive with and secured by stitchingto the sloping edge 22 of the frontal portion I0 of the body band, andouter edge 30 extending upwardly along the forward end edge I3 of theside portion I2 to a heightwise position between approximately onehalfand three-quarters of the length of the end edge (Fig. 3). The upperpart of the pocket has upwardly converging edges 32 and 34, the edge 32originating at the upper end of the edge 30 and the edge 34 originatingclose to the mid-portion of the frontal portion. The edges 32 and 34converge to form a narrow apex portion 33 substantially vertically abovethe nipple. The inner sides of the pockets where the edges 34--34converge with the body band are joined to the body band at the mid-pointthereof and the junction is reinforced by a narrow tape 36 stitched tothe inner side and to the frontal band. As thus constructed the crotchformed by the intersection of the downwardly converging edges of theinner pockets is situated in the sternum valley on a level substantiallymidway between the lower sides of the breasts and the nipples.

The outer pockets 26-26 which breast-containing pockets 24-24 affordmeans for adjusting the heightwise position of the breasts which arealready held in their proper lateral spacing by the pockets 24-24without displacement of the frontal band l0. As illustrated, each outerpocket has at its lower half converging edges 38 and 40 terminating in anarrow apex portion 39 at approximately the mid-point of that portion ofthe frontal band at one side of its center and substantially verticallybelow the nipple. The edge 28 rises toward the edge I3 of the sideportion and intersects it at about or just below the mid-height thereofwhile the edge 40 rises somewhat more sharply and merges with thecorresponding edge 40 of the other pocket substantially at the level ofthe ynipples vertically above the mid-portion of the frontal band. Theupper half of each outer pocket has upwardly converging edges 42 and 44,

- the edge 42 originating at the upper edge of the side portion I2 andthe edge 44 originating near the intersection of the edges 4ll4ll. Theedges 42 and 44 run generally parallel to the edges 32 .and 34 and mergein apex portions 43 substantially vertically above the apex portions 33of the inner pockets and hence substantially vertically overlie the.

above the nipples. The inner sides of the outer pockets formed by themerging edges 40 and 44 are joined to each other by a reinforcing tape48. The apex portions 43 of the outer pockets have connected thereto theforward ends of shoulder straps 48 the rear ends of which are fixed tothe upper edge of the rear portions of the body band at the back. Thestraps are adjustable to increase or decrease their length and since thestraps are attached to the apex portions of the outer pockets invertical alignment with the nipples and with the lower attached apexportions 39, the adjustment will take place vertically without tendencyfor lateral pull in either direction. Moreover since the pull is exertedat very narrow portions of the upper edge of the frontal bandsubstantially at the places where it has rmest contact with the body,the tendency for the upward pull of the straps when adjusted to elevatethe breasts to displace the band upwardly is minimized. Between the apexportions 33 and 43 of each inner and outer pocket there is attached aweb 50 of elasticized material which when unstretched just spans thedistance between them, that is when the brassire is not in use. Theelasticized webs indirectly transmit the pull of the shoulder straps tothe inner pocket in such fashion as to do little more than keep theinner pockets smoothly molded to the breasts. It is evident from theforegoing construction that the inner pockets serve as containers forsupporting the entire volume of the breasts in their correct frontalpositions `without exerting in and of themselves any substantialcorrective force thereto so that the breasts are left to assume theirmost natural contour. The outer pockets however provide means forexerting nearly vertical lift along parallel lines extending through thenipples without displacing the body band upwardly and without effectinglateral displacement of the breasts.

Preferably for the sake of comfort and to permit normal breathingwithout a sense of confinement, portions of the side members I2 are cutaway, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, into which are stitchedtriangular inserts of elastic webbing 56.

Both the inner and outer pockets are made of material corresponding tothat of which the body band is made, to wit satin and the pockets may bedivided transversely into two sections or panels so cut and stitchedtogether as for example along the lines V52---52 and 54--54 respectivelyas to afford pocket-like containers. The upper panels of the outerpockets may be constructed oi' lace if desired to afford a somewhat moreattractive finish.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a brassire a body-encircling band comprising side embracingportions and a narrow frontal band, said frontal band being adapted toextend across the body below the breasts of the wearer and said sideembracing portions being attached to the opposite ends of the frontalband and having forward, spaced edges rising from the frontal band to apoint correspondingsubstantially to the level of the tops of the breastsand nesting inner and outer pockets carried by vthe frontal band and theside embracing portions.

each inner pocket being adapted to cover the entire convex surface ofthe breast, each inner pocket having a lower edge coextensive withonehalf of the frontal band and continuously attached thereto, a lateraledge rising from the lower edge along one of the forward edges of theside embracing portion but terminating short of the upper end of saidforward edge and said lateral and forward edges being joinedcontinuously; and upwardly converging edges the inner ones of whichoriginate substantially at the midn point of the frontal band and theouter ones of which originate at a point corresponding to about thelevel of the nipples of the wear, each outer pocket having upwardlyfacing converging edges, the junctions of the upwardly converging edgesand downwardly converging edges being attached respectively to theforward end of a shoulder strap and to the mid-point of one-half of thefrontal band, an upwardly facing and downwardly facing edge at each sideof a pocket converging at a point corresponding to about the level ofthe nipples, means securing the junctions of the upwardly and downwardlyfacing converging edges at the inner sides of said pockets to each otherand means securing the junctions of the upwardly and downwardly facingconverging edges of the outer sides of the pockets to the forward edgesof the side embracing portions.

2. A brassire according to claim 1 wherein the edge portions of theouter pockets intermediate the junctions at which the converging edgesmeet are unattached to the underlying parts of the brassire.

3. A brassire according to claim 1 wherein an elastic element joins thejunction of the upwardly converging edges of each inner pocket to thejunction of the upwardly converging edges of each outer pocket.

4. A brassire according to cla-im l wherein the junction of the upwardlyconverging edges of each outer pocket extends beyond the junction of theupwardly converging edges of each inner pocket, elastic means connectsthe junctions of the upwardly converging edges of the inner and outerpockets and wherein there are adjustable shoulder straps, the forwardends of which are fastened to the junctions of the upwardly convergingedges of the outer pockets at the places of attachment of the elasticmeans and the rear ends are attached to the rear part of the body bandat the back.

PETER CIRINGIONE.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record in the le cfthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,786,895 Cadolle Dec. 30, 19302,115,397 Rosenthal et al. Apr. 26, 1938 2,185,159 Rubinstein Dec. 26,1939 2,470,847 Gluckin May 24, 1949 2,493,179 Wittenberg Jan. 3, 19502,497,324 Shenkman Feb. 14, 1950 2,508,704 Becker May 23. 1950

